Fabric with eyelets secured to the edge thereof



Novf'lg, 194@o H, KESHEFSKY ETAL 2,222,178

FABRIC WITH EYELE'IS SECURED T0 THE EDGE THEREOF Filed June 3, 195% ATTORNEY- Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FABRIC WITH EYELETS SECURED TO THE EDGE THEREOF Application June 3, 1938, Serial No. 211,701

1 Claim.

Our invention relates to a novel combination of eyelets and fabric and more specifically a construction in which eyelets are securely positioned on the edge of fabric.

I-litherto when it has been desired to provide eyelets upon the edge of cloth, as for the decoration around the edge of a womans cambric collar, the eyelet was clamped directly on to the goods so that it clasped a portion of the edge of the goods. The eyelet thus joined to the goods was very insecure, however, and readily separated from the edge of the cloth.

In the manufacture of shoes, slippers, and other articles where it is desired to have eyelets to provide engagement for laces, it has been necessary to secure the eyelet within the cloth itself, for, althoughthe eyelet would be in a more decorative position if secured to the edge of the cloth, such engagement provided insufficient strength to resist the pull of .the laces.

We have conceived a novel construction and method whereby we secure the eyelet to the edge of a piece of material in such a manner that it is, for all practical purposes, inseparable therefrom and capable of withstanding relatively great stress as from the pull of laces in shoes, sandals, slippers or wearing apparel generally. Our novel construction is distinguished by the fact that l from outward appearances it seems to be simply an ordinary eyelet clamped upon the edge of a piece of goods. From an aesthetic standpoint this is important since we therefore achieve the vital factors of strength without sacrificing the appearance of the eyelet or the goods. To provide our improved construction I take two pieces of suitable fabric and secure therebetween at .the edge an insert which comprises a narrow edging having loops spaced from one another therealong at the distance desired for the eyelets. The edging may be of the picot type but any edging is suitable that provides loops therein for inserting the eyelets. The edging is positioned within the aforementioned two plies of cloth so that the body of the edging is secured to the two plies of cloth with the loops protruding from the edges thereof. An eyelet is now clamped within the loop so that it clasps both the edge of the loopl and the two plies of cloth that hold the insert. The eyelet may be punched in so that it securely clasps thus both the loop of the insert and the edge of the material itself. Either a single eyelet that is adapted to be bent around the material may be employed or two coacting eyelet halves may be used that coact with each 55a. other. The eyelet thus secured surrounds the loop of the insert so that for all practical appearances the eyelet seems to be simply engaged on the edge of the cloth itself. This appearance of the eyelet is deceptive since it has tremendous strength of attachment to the material and can- 5 not be detached therefrom by `the pull normally` exerted upon it. The eyelet so secured may be used in shoes or slippers since it has sunicient strength of attachment to the upper of the shoe to withstand the pull of the laces, and thus pro- 19 vides entirely different style possibilities in shoes and slippers and other wearing apparel where heretofore the eyelet has of necessity been located within the cloth itself rather than on the edge of the material as provided by our invention. 15

When the eyelets are used as decorative edgngs for collars, pockets and the like they are not detached in ordinary laundering or wearing and have a much longer life than the eyelets hitherto used. This is important because when even a 8l)V single eyelet becomes detached the appearance of a collar or pocket is spoiled and it is difcult or impossible for the ordinary user to replace the eyelet.

It is a further object of our invention to pro- 25 vide a novel construction of cloth and eyelet in which an insert is secured to the edge of cloth, the insert having loops extending beyond the cloth and eyelets secured in the loops and over the edge of the cloth.

There are other objects of our invention which, together with the foregoing, will appear in the detailed description of our invention which follows in connection with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 represents a plan of a collar with the 5f eyelets attached to the edge of the collar according to our invention. A cutaway portion shows in detail the method of attachment.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the insert containing loops which insert is to be attached to the fabric. 40

Figure 3 is a cross section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail and cutaway section showing the invention when triangular shaped eyelets are employed.

Figure 5 is a modified form of our invention in which only a single ply of fabric is employed, the insert being attached to the back thereof.

Figure 6 is a perspective of a shoe showing the eyelets attached thereon according to our 50 invention,

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, in Figure 1 is shown a collar I comprising a fabric `which plies 2 and 3 between which is secured at the edge a fabric insert 4 having loops 55 Sil 5 formed therein. The insert is secured between two layers of the fabric 2 and 3 by the stitching 6. After the insert 4 has been sewn between the two layers of fabric 2 and 3, the fabric being turned over at the edge to provide strength, the eyelets I0 are clamped over the fabric Z and 3 and grip the loop 5 at Il.

In Figure 2 there is shown the fabric insert 4 with the selvage loops 5 spaced therealong. Although these loops are shown in the edging, any enclosing means may be employed that is integral with the edging. The loops 5 should be closely woven or knitted into the goods so that they have sufcient strength to withstand the necessary pull. The insert should have a nished edge and particularly the loop enclosing means on the insert should have a finished edge. The finished edge may be of greater thickness than the body of the material.

In Figure 3 are shown in cross section the upper fabric 2 and the folded over edge l2 and the lower fabric 3 with the folded over edge i3 between which is secured the insert 4 having the loops 5 thereon. The insert 4 is secured between the fabric 2 and 3 by the stitching E. In this cross-sectional drawing it can be seen in what manner the eyelet lil engages at one time both a loop 5 and the fabric 2 and 3. Because the eyelet thus engages the cloth itself and is secured simultaneously within the loop 5 it is held securely against any force which would tend to separate it from the material, since loop 5 would prevent it from being pulled off the material even if its grasp upon the material 2 and 3 were insuflcient. At the same time it will be noticed that because of the particular construction here set forth, it is difficult to supercially determine that any other securement of the eyelet is had other than the ordinary claspof the eyelet upon the fabric. A close inspection, of course, would reveal the loop 5 under the turned over edge of the eyelet.

In Figure 4 there is shown the method and construction of our invention as applied to eyelets having a shape other than the circular shape set forth in the previous figures. Therein is shown fabric 2 and 3 between which is secured insert 4 having the loops 5a, and secured within the loop and over the fabric are triangular eyelets 20. The loop 5a may be of any desired shape since the shape of the eyelet determines finally the shape of the loop. The rigid eyelet forces the loop to conform to the shape of the eyelet. In addition to using triangular eyelets, square eyelets, diamond shaped eyelets or eyelets of any desired shape, may be employed.

Although in the preferred form of our invention two plies of fabric are employed with the insert therebetween, it is possible as shown in Figure 5 to employ but a single layer of fabric. Thus the fabric 22 turned over at 23 to provide a folded edge 24 is secured to the insert 30 by the stitching 3l. The insert 30 carries the loop 5. Driven within the loop so as to clamp upon both the loop and the fabric is the eyelet l0. For many purposes this single layer holding the eyelet at the edge thereof has sufficient strength.

Our new construction makes possible uses of eyelets secured to the edge of the material in the manner set forth for many purposes hitherto though impossible in the art. Thus in Figure 6 is shown a shoe 40. The shoe 4&1 carries the eye lets 4I secured to the edges of the shoe material 42. This shoe material can, of course, be either fabric or leather or any suitable shoe material.

It is to be noted that our construction generally does not rely on whether the material is a fabric, but any material either of paper composition, fabric or leather may be employed. In the shoe shown in Figure 6, the eyelets are positioned in a most attractive manner giving possibilites of attractive style factors. The eyelets may be positioned in this manner, by means of our construction, and still have the necessary utility and strength to withstand the pull of the laces.

This new construction whereby in shoes we can employ eyelets on the edge of the lacing area has many decided advantages. First it makes possible new style possibilities inasmuch as the eyelets are now positioned on the edge of the material and not within the material as has been hitherto necessary. The placement at the edge is theoretically more logical and an improvement from the standpoint of appearance. The points of closest contact are at the edges. Eyelets within the material proper necessitate greater length of lace and contact of the lace with the foot beneath the shoe material. With eyelets positioned at or upon the edges of the shoe material, easier lacing is effected.

Secondly, this edge placement of the eyelets effects a saving in shoe material since the shoe material need not extend as far towards the center in this new construction as when the eyelets must be placed within the shoe material itself.

Further, from the standpoint of comfort there is a decided advantage when the eyelets are placed as herein described. Hitherto when the eyelets were within the leather the lace necessarily passed under the leather across the instep. Our new eyelet construction relieves the pressure of the lace on the instep.

Along the sides of the shoe in Figure 6-1 have shown another form in which our invention may be utilized. Therein the eyelet 45 is secured to both the material 50 and the material 5l. Along the edge of both these materials runs edge reinforcing 52 and 53. The eyelets 45 are positioned within the loops of both the edge reinforcements 52 and 53 and are clamped over the materials 50 and 5l. Thus there is provided a secure joining of the two materials 5B and 5l and at the same time a good decorative insert is effected. This arrangement, of course is not restricted only to shoes but may be employed in any other connection where it is desired that an insert between two materials or a joining of two materials be effected. This is of importance in the manufacture of shoes, gloves or articles of any other description where it is desired to obtain this insert effect. This method of using these eyelets or similar' pieces as inserts between two materials provides exceptional strength in that the eyelets are retained by two loops and also by clamping material on two edges.

The edging is preferably narrow, extending a short distance in from the edge of the principal fabric, but obviously it may extend as far as is desirable for particular purposes. The edging may comprise a welt edge with circular loops formed in the edge for great strength, but it is within the scope of our invention to provide loops of any type or description or any edging that has extensions within which the eyelet can be positioned.

Although we have spoken of woven inserts, inserts of any material having openings which provide sufficient strength may be employed.

Although for greatest strength and for the best appearance it is desirable that the eyelet be positioned Within the loop and over the edge of the cloth, it is conceivable that the eyelets need not grasp the cloth but could depend upon the loop of the insert to provide its anchoring means. This would be particularly so if the insert edging had an appearance such as would render it desirable that it show.

In addition to attaching eyelets to the edge of material as' set forth herein, we may also attach buttons, ornaments of any metallic or non-rnetallic composition or ornaments of rhinestone or of semi-precious stones of any kind on to the edge of the material in the same Way as set forth.

Our invention primarily lies in the idea of providing strength of attachment of the added appendage by inserting it within an engaging loop and over the material simultaneously to provide two means of support. Thus, we may attach to the edge of the goods of any desired type, buttons, clasps, ornaments of any desired shape or material, or any desired item so that it is strongly attached, as set forth herein. Both male and female clasps or snappers' may be joined according to the particular construction desired. In addition to employing metallic elements, We may employ ornaments of resinous or any cornposition material.

Although We have illustrated preferred forms of our invention it is to be understood that modications thereof are feasible and accordingly we do not intend to be limited thereby except as set forth in the following claim.

We claim:

In combination, fabric, the fabric comprising two pliesy with substantially coincident edges, an insert secured between the two plies at said edges thereof, the insert having openings therein, the insert being positioned so that the openings extend beyond the fabric, and eyelets secured within the openings and gripping said insert and the edges of the plies of the fabric.

HARRY KESHEFSKY. A. MEYER LEVINE. 

